Hunt Family Adventures : Summer 2023: Part I

On Memorial day weekend I took the kids to play at Banning Lewis Ranch. I thought we had access to the pool there because it's run by the YMCA and we had a YMCA membership, but apparently it's only for residents. Fortunately someone saw us and offered to make us her guests, which was very kind of her. Unfortunately, the water was way too cold for just a 69 degree day. They also had ridiculous requirements for passing their swim test in order to use the water slide, even though the total depth of the pool you slide into was only 3.5 feet. And even if we'd been up for the swim test, they only offered it at their other pool on the opposite side of the neighborhood. We didn't last too long in that cold water, but it was still a nice day, so we took advantage of their fun playgrounds.

Later that week we went to John Muir Memorial park. The weather said sunny, so we intended to do the splash pad, but a big bunch of gray clouds rolled in. We still went swinging at the park and had fun, but then the lightning started. That's Colorado summer for you. There could be zero clouds in the forecast, and then suddenly a thunderstorm comes along out of nowhere.

On the whole it was an extremely cold June. We've been told it was very out of the ordinary. I hope that's true since the kids only get June and July for summer break, and it didn't feel like summer at all until the last few days of June.

Here are the kids with some of their creative projects

Our landscaping company started work on the front yard of our house in June. There were several times they had to work in the rain. Oscar and Tyler worked on the stairs from the back door into the backyard. When there was good weather Oscar took advantage of it to go on nice, scenic runs.

Kitty cuteness! Allison even had double cats!

In mid June we met up at the temple for a primary activity tour around the grounds and in the little visitor's area. It was a beautiful day, so we'd planned a hike in Castle Rock on the drive back home. However the parking lot was full when we arrived, and we could see the clouds would roll in soon, so we continued on to Monument to stop at the Home Depot there. Sure enough, it was dumping rain by the time we arrived. We're glad we weren't on a hike when that happened.

We also picked up a few things at the nearby King Soopers. I saw this unicorn bubble wand discounted to $5 (it was $15+ on Amazon) and thought it was a great deal. Allison was absolutely delighted by it, using it on the trampoline, walking to the park with it, and showing it off to everyone there. It worked great for the day, and then it never turned on again, even with new batteries. At least it gave her lots of joy for the one day she had it.

Tyler got a belated moving sand art birthday gift from auntie Malia.

The front yard looked great once it was complete, Oscar did great work on the pergola, and we love the new paver walkway we have going down to the sidewalk.

In mid June we took a trip to visit Emily and family in Missouri. We left Friday afternoon then stopped in Salina KS to eat and sleep. It took around 45 minutes to get our food at the restaurant after we'd ordered, making us wish we'd just driven a bit further to Topeka and picked up fast food. Fortunately we still made it to Emily's early enough on Saturday morning that we were able to get to the 1:00pm session we had scheduled.

The temple was only 10 minutes away from Worlds of Fun, and not far off our route back to Emily's, so I stopped off there to tour the park while Oscar picked up a few toiletries we needed. It didn't cost me anything extra since I'd already purchased a season pass. Even though we only went two days, it gave me discount passes for up to 6 guests per day, and we used all of those discount passes both days we visited the park. It easily paid for itself.

It was nice to get an idea of how large the park was and where to find the water park and other attractions we were most interested in were. It made me feel much more comfortable when we came a few days later with cousins.

We stayed our first night with the Anderson family. Allison and Mary shared the poof together and Allison got a taste of her own medicine with Mary nearly pushing her off the poof (Allison is very much a bed hog). We went to church with them the next day then drove into downtown Kansas City and checked in at a hotel there.

The next day we went to Science City. Here's their fun outdoor playground designed by kids. We went there as soon as it opened before the weather became brutally hot.

Ziplining kiddos!

There was plenty more fun to be had indoors, though it took Allison awhile to find it. I specifically remember her saying "there's nothing sciencey here!"

We ate a a restaurant inside Union Station so we didn't need to drive anywhere. The kids were cold from the air conditioning, so we made capes for them out of their napkins.

Here they are playing with the giant hamster wheel, Legos, and this neat slide that totally looked like a sewer pipe.

On Tuesday we spent our first day at Worlds of Fun with Dillan, Justin, and Mary. It was 92 and humid, so we spent a good chunk of our time at the water park, though Mary went on the giant Mamba, her first roller coaster. She screamed the whole time and didn't think she'd ever want to do it again, but after doing a smaller coaster the next day she's now eager to do Mamba again.

We spent most of our time in the wave pool and kids' play area since the few waterslides that were open had giant lines. Oscar, Allison, and Mary got in line for a family water slide while the boys and I went on Zambezi Zinger (we had a return time for it so could only do it in that particular hour, and Mary and Allison weren't up for Zambezi Zinger after how intense Mamba was. Oscar was able to do Zambezi Zinger the next day). We returned from our roller coaster, joined them in line, and still waited over an hour.

We did a few rides after we were water parked out. The kids really wanted to do bumper cars, but they were one way, which was boring. Dillan and I went on Patriot and met them there afterward, so we didn't do the bumper cars ourselves.

We finished up with the swinging boats and spinning dragons just as the park was closing.

The next day we brought Mary again along with Bonnie and James for day two.

It was also an extremely hot, humid day, so we spent most of our time at the water park. The Anderson kids were happy to stay swimming for hours, but I got bored and got everyone dressed to go do the kids' rides. Oscar and Tyler went off to Zambezi Zinger while I took the rest over to Camp Snoopy.

They did the kid coaster a couple times

The Snoopy planes

And this swinging plane ride that's fun when it zooms you around the corner, I was surprised so many kids' rides were operating with how hot it was. I've been to several other theme parks, like our local Elitch's, that just have one employee rotate working 2-3 rides on off season days or hot days when they don't expect many kids riding hot rides in the blazing sunlight.

The kids were super cute with the animals in the petting zoo. Tyler was loving every minute petting them. I think he was missing our kitties.

Here they are on Camp bus and posing with Peanuts characters. Only Allison and Bonnie were interested in getting a picture. Allison LOVES characters!

Snoopy teacups ride

And the Giant Swing with me. I've done similar kids' rides, and I thought this one could have been better. It needed a bit more momentum to really have fun. There was obviously some slowing mechanism to prevent it from going as fast as the ones we've done at Silverwood and Sea World.

James and Bonnie got in their first full size roller coaster - Spinning Dragons. Neither of them wanted to do it again, but Mary and Allison did. I took James and Bonnie over to the Carousel to finish off their day just before closing.

The next day we drove back, stopping off at a yummy diner with a tasty buffet along the way. The kids enjoyed hugging this giant bear at a gas station just past the Colorado/Kansas border.